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Brant RA, Edwards CE, Reid JL, Bassüner B, Delfeld B, Dell N, Mangan SA, de la Paz Bernasconi Torres V, Albrecht MA. Restoration age affects microbial-herbaceous plant interactions in an oak woodland. Ecol Evol 2024; 14:e11360. [PMID: 38706936 PMCID: PMC11066493 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.11360] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/21/2023] [Revised: 04/11/2024] [Accepted: 04/17/2024] [Indexed: 05/07/2024] Open
Abstract
In degraded ecosystems, soil microbial communities (SMCs) may influence the outcomes of ecological restoration. Restoration practices can affect SMCs, though it is unclear how variation in the onset of restoration activities in woodlands affects SMCs, how those SMCs influence the performance of hard-to-establish woodland forbs, and how different woodland forbs shape SMCs. In this study, we quantified soil properties and species abundances in an oak woodland restoration chronosequence (young, intermediate, and old restorations). We measured the growth of three woodland forb species when inoculated with live whole-soil from young, intermediate, or old restorations. We used DNA metabarcoding to characterize SMCs of each inoculum treatment and the soil after conditioning by each plant species. Our goals were to (1) understand how time since the onset of restoration affected soil abiotic properties, plant communities, and SMCs in a restoration chronosequence, (2) test growth responses of three forb species to whole-soil inoculum from restoration sites, and (3) characterize changes in SMCs before and after conditioning by each forb species. Younger restored woodlands had greater fire-sensitive tree species and lower concentrations of soil phosphorous than intermediate or older restored woodlands. Bacterial and fungal soil communities varied significantly among sites. Forbs exhibited the greatest growth in soil from the young restoration. Each forb species developed a unique soil microbial community. Our results highlight how restoration practices affect SMCs, which can in turn affect the growth of hard-to-establish forb species. Our results also highlight that the choice of forb species can alter SMCs, which could have long-term potential consequences for restoration success.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - John Leighton Reid
- Missouri Botanical GardenSt. LouisMissouriUSA
- Present address:
School of Plant and Environmental SciencesVirginia TechBlacksburgVirginiaUSA
| | | | | | - Noah Dell
- Missouri Botanical GardenSt. LouisMissouriUSA
| | - Scott A. Mangan
- Department of Biological SciencesArkansas State UniversityJonesboroArkansasUSA
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Gatis N, Benaud P, Anderson K, Ashe J, Grand-Clement E, Luscombe DJ, Puttock A, Brazier RE. Peatland restoration increases water storage and attenuates downstream stormflow but does not guarantee an immediate reversal of long-term ecohydrological degradation. Sci Rep 2023; 13:15865. [PMID: 37739941 PMCID: PMC10516923 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-40285-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/29/2023] [Accepted: 08/08/2023] [Indexed: 09/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Peatland restoration is experiencing a global upsurge as a tool to protect and provide various ecosystem services. As the range of peatland types being restored diversifies, do previous findings present overly optimistic restoration expectations? In an eroding and restored upland peatland we assessed short-term (0-4 year) effects of restoration on ecohydrological functions. Restoration significantly reduced discharge from the site, transforming peat pans into pools. These retained surface water over half the time and were deeper during wet periods than before. In the surrounding haggs water tables stabilised, as drawdown during dry conditions reduced, increasing the saturated peat thickness. Despite these changes, there were no effects on photosynthesis, ecosystem respiration or dissolved organic carbon loads leaving the site. Soil respiration did not decrease as water tables rose, but methane emissions were higher from rewet pools. Restoration has had a dramatic effect on hydrology, however, consequent changes in other ecosystem functions were not measured in the 4 years after restoration. Whilst restoration is crucial in halting the expansion of degraded peatland areas, it is vital that practitioners and policymakers advocating for restoration are realistic about the expected outcomes and timescales over which these outcomes may manifest.
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Affiliation(s)
- Naomi Gatis
- Geography, Faculty of Environment, Science and Economy, University of Exeter, Exeter, Devon, EX4 4RJ, UK.
- Centre for Resilience in Environment, Water and Waste, University of Exeter, North Park Road, Exeter, Devon, EX4 4TA, UK.
| | - Pia Benaud
- Geography, Faculty of Environment, Science and Economy, University of Exeter, Exeter, Devon, EX4 4RJ, UK
- Centre for Resilience in Environment, Water and Waste, University of Exeter, North Park Road, Exeter, Devon, EX4 4TA, UK
| | - Karen Anderson
- Centre for Resilience in Environment, Water and Waste, University of Exeter, North Park Road, Exeter, Devon, EX4 4TA, UK
- Environment and Sustainability Institute, University of Exeter, Penryn, Cornwall, TR10 9FE, UK
| | - Josie Ashe
- Geography, Faculty of Environment, Science and Economy, University of Exeter, Exeter, Devon, EX4 4RJ, UK
- Centre for Resilience in Environment, Water and Waste, University of Exeter, North Park Road, Exeter, Devon, EX4 4TA, UK
| | - Emilie Grand-Clement
- Geography, Faculty of Environment, Science and Economy, University of Exeter, Exeter, Devon, EX4 4RJ, UK
- Centre for Resilience in Environment, Water and Waste, University of Exeter, North Park Road, Exeter, Devon, EX4 4TA, UK
| | - David J Luscombe
- Geography, Faculty of Environment, Science and Economy, University of Exeter, Exeter, Devon, EX4 4RJ, UK
- Centre for Resilience in Environment, Water and Waste, University of Exeter, North Park Road, Exeter, Devon, EX4 4TA, UK
| | - Alan Puttock
- Geography, Faculty of Environment, Science and Economy, University of Exeter, Exeter, Devon, EX4 4RJ, UK
- Centre for Resilience in Environment, Water and Waste, University of Exeter, North Park Road, Exeter, Devon, EX4 4TA, UK
| | - Richard E Brazier
- Geography, Faculty of Environment, Science and Economy, University of Exeter, Exeter, Devon, EX4 4RJ, UK
- Centre for Resilience in Environment, Water and Waste, University of Exeter, North Park Road, Exeter, Devon, EX4 4TA, UK
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